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392 Wrangler Radiator

pvkj454

pvkj454

Lab Rat
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Member Number
1810
Messages
200
Loc
Tennessee
I ordered the 21-22 392 cooling unit to shoehorn into my JKU LS conversion. I figured if it will cool a Hemi it should cool an LS and it shouldn't be difficult to swap in. It was $600 which is no more than the all aluminum upgrade radiators that keep failing. I don't see how it can keep a 392 cool. It is the same thickness as the 3.8 JK radiator, same width and slightly shorter. They both have a single tube design that is approx. 1" wide. The 392 radiator does have a tube spacing of approximately .235 and the JK radiator has .350 spacing.

The 392 unit is on the left and unbelievably small IMO.

IMG_20220413_150059812.jpg
 
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Strange. I would have expected it to be much larger. Interested to hear how it works.
 
They're betting on nobody who has that much power in a JK needing to keep their foot on the floor for very long.

Realistically, they're probably right.
 
What fan do you have ?
What fan is on the 392 ?
 
Bebop said:
What fan do you have ?
What fan is on the 392 ?
Click to expand...
I have the 2018 Camaro SS fan which is supposed to be stronger than the 3.6 Pentastar fan. The 392 has a different part number of 68518025AA. Modifying the JK mounts to fit the 392 radiator and adding a remote pressure reservoir won't be difficult at all. Since it is no larger than the 3.8 radiator, I am not convinced that it would be worth the trouble.

I can't see how the closer tube spacing on the 392 would make a huge difference since the JK radiator is roughly 1" taller. The 392 tubes are the same 1" width as the JK but thinner so there would be less coolant volume flowing through them. The standard Camaro SS radiator is 3/8" thicker but would be difficult to fit without cutting the frame rails due to the drain plug area width.

IMG_20220413_150402761.jpg
IMG_20220413_150944636.jpg
 
I counted the tubes and the 392 has 84. The JK has 60. That is 40% more tubes but less coolant volume through each.
 
Just fucking run it. Some engineer has had to crunch the numbers and make sure it worked for the power level of a 5.9 so it's probably fine for your LS of similar output.
 
More tubes means more fins shoved between them. The fins are what actually sheds the heat.

Does it look like there is more fin density in the rows? I believe they go by fins per inch.
 
gt1guy said:
More tubes means more fins shoved between them. The fins are what actually sheds the heat.

Does it look like there is more fin density in the rows? I believe they go by fins per inch.
Click to expand...
25 per inch on the 392 vs 17 on the JK. The JK is an aftermarket one though.
 
I ordered the matching fan assembly since the Camaro fan fits the JK radiator with minimal mods but it would be difficult to make it fit the 392 radiator.
 
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